On the latest episode of JaneWallStreet Presents: At The Table, a biweekly podcast exploring the intersection of sports, media, and finance through the lens of (mostly) female decision-makers, JaneWallStreet Executive Chair Deirdre Lester sits down with SPORT BEACH CEO Beth Sidhu.

In this 55-minute conversation, the two surface and talk through a multitude of actionable insights including:

Cannes Selling Deal-Making Efficiency 

Sports marketers accustomed to doing business around domestic tentpoles struggle to justify sending a team to the south of France. And for most brands simply looking to build awareness, that’s a reasonable conclusion.

“If you are [a marketer] looking for broad brand building, I'm not sure [it] is the best place to [activate] because it's crowded, noisy, hot, expensive and all of those things,” Sidhu said. “[The exception would be if] you have a really great budget or a clever guerrilla marketing idea.”

But the concentration of decision-makers eager to do business can make it an efficient setting to engage with and secure commitments from prospective partners.

“Everyone who is there is there to make deals. It's actually pretty different [from the] Super Bowl or [other major sporting events]. Some people are at the Super Bowl for a B2C operation. Some are there to party. Some are there just to be in the mix. The number of people who go to Super Bowl or Super Bowl Week to make deals is smaller than the percentage of people who go to Cannes to make deals,” Sidhu said. 

Athlete Partnerships Should Deliver More Than Name, Image and Likeness

Athletes are increasingly creating content that extends their visibility beyond the teams and leagues they play for. Advertisers should take note of storytellers with engaged followings and find organic ways to build around and integrate their ideas, personalities and audiences.

Marketers “don't talk about it [this] way, but if you take a quarter of a step back, athletes truly are the original creators in lots of different universes. And if we take that seriously as brands, as builders, instead of [taking the approach that] ‘we're just going to put [the individual’s] name or face on [a given product],’ there is an opportunity to derive more value from those partnerships,” Sidhu said. So many athletes “are creating so much amazing work right now.”

Sports Boom Comes with Deadline to Deliver

Sports rights owners and athlete-founded companies are currently enjoying a surge of attention and investment. But today’s momentum offers no guarantee of lasting success. In fact, the reckoning is likely less than 24 months away.

“LA 2028 will be the make-or-break moment for many sports marketers and athlete-led brands. All eyes are on sport right now. Money is flowing [in]. Innovation is [occurring].... After 2028, there's going to be a recalibration; not that interest will go away, but people [will] have to question [and account for] what's working and what's not,” Sidhu said. “The brands and the organizations that are in a strong place, [at that point, are the ones that will] survive through Utah in 2034.” 

📺 Watch the full episode on JohnWallStreet’s YouTube page.
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

We’ll be back with the next episode of JaneWallStreet Presents: At The Table on October 22. Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) Co-Founder, President and Chief Creative Officer Paul Rabil will be our guest.

Catch previous episodes of At The Table, including our sit-down with LOVB Chief Growth Officer Stephanie Alger, former Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) Global Head of Sports Julie Souza, Head of Fubo Sports Network & Fubo Studios Pamela Duckworth, former Barstool Sports CEO & Mule Media Co-Founder Erika Badan, ATHLOS Acting President Kayla Green, former CEO of CBS News Wendy McMahon, A-Rod Corp Chief Business Officer & Minnesota Timberwolves Chief Strategy Officer Kelly Laferriere, Rasenberger Media Founder & President Cathy Rasenberger, AUSL Commissioner Kim Ng, Jomboy Media CEO Courtney Hirsch, Trailblazing Sports Group Founder Sara Gotfredson, and Kraft Analytics Group (KAGR) CEO Jessica Gelman on JohnWallStreet’s YouTube channel.

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In the latest episode, four JohnWallStreet Advisory Advisors (Nick Kelly, Shripal Shah, Pat Crakes, John Brody) & host Corey Leff discuss how commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s tenure should be evaluated, what the WNBA should prioritize in its next commissioner, the strategic priorities for the league’s next era, the risks that could derail its growth and more.

📺 Watch the full episode on JohnWallStreet’s YouTube page.
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

As always, you can connect with a member of the JohnWallStreet Advisory team by sending a note to [email protected]. In fact, we encourage it!